Remarks on the Retirement of Stephen Knight of Winthrop

It was my honor and pleasure to take a break from planting Silver Queen Sweet Corn and Yukon Gold Potatoes yesterday to attend graduation ceremonies at Winthrop High School and present a legislative sentiment to Steve Knight, who is retiring from teaching after more than 30 years.

REMARKS OF REPRESENTATIVE CRAIG V. HICKMAN ON THE RETIREMENT OF STEPHEN D. KNIGHT OF WINTHROP - JUNE 7, 2015

Good afternoon students, teachers, administrators, family and friends. I am honored to be here to participate in this ceremony and I thank Principal Morin for the opportunity to make this special presentation. 

Today is the day we congratulate the graduating Class of 2015 for this milestone achievement and wish them all the best in the next chapter of their lives.

They are our future thinkers, our future visionaries, our future leaders, and our future teachers.

None of them could have gotten this far without their teachers. And so today, we honor one of their teachers, a teacher whose own children, children who graduated from this high school, have this to say about him.

“He epitomizes what every parent looks for in a teacher: intelligence, a promise to make your child work hard, and a respect-driven dedication to put in his own time and effort for any student who is willing to do the same. But perhaps more importantly, he's spent three decades setting the standard for teaching among his students as well: a sense of humor, a deep and genuine engagement not only with the subject matter, but also with the art of curiosity and the pursuit of learning itself.”

And so as we go away this afternoon, let us go away more committed to education, more committed to all our teachers.

And let us remember this decent and humble man, who is leaving this honorable profession today and moving on to the next chapter of his life.

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State of Maine, in the Year of Our Lord 2015, we, the members of the Senate and the House of Representatives join in recognizing Stephen D. Knight, of Winthrop, on the occasion of his retirement from teaching. A graduate of Duke University, Mr. Knight began his teaching career in 1980 at Maranacook Community School in Readfield, where he taught for 12 years. He also taught for a year at Good Will-Hinckley in Fairfield and for 2 years at American School in Switzerland. Over the course of his career, Mr. Knight taught chemistry, physics, biology, geometry and algebra. He finishes his career with 22 years at Winthrop High School. We send him our appreciation for his commitment to education and to the youth of Maine. We extend our congratulations and best wishes to him on his retirement; 

And be it ordered that this official expression of sentiment be sent forthwith on behalf of the 127^th Legislature and the people of the State of Maine;

Given this second day of June, 2015, at the State Capitol, Augusta, Maine;

Signed: Michael D. Thibodeau, President of the Senate; Mark W. Eves, Speaker of the House; Heather. J.R. Priest, Secretary of the Senate; Robert B. Hunt, Clerk of the House;

Introduced by Representative Craig V. Hickman from Winthrop; co-sponsored by Senator Earle L. McCormick from Kennebec.

Will Mr. Knight please step forward to receive this legislative sentiment.